Nah the CMC are fine when used properly. The problem is that most of the episodes focusing solely on them don't stack up due to the lack of development. The characters can certainly be used well (see "Sisterhooves Social" and "Bridle Gossip"); the problem is giving them exclusive focus.

EDIT: Pagetopper

edited 25th Aug '12 8:08:58 PM by JapaneseTeeth

I think they age like humans unless otherwise noted.

I tend to assume the aging is more like humans. Otherwise the whole waiting for a cutie mark thing isn't much of an issue, since you'd be waiting for like two months. Also I don't want to think of the mane cast being dead by 30.

Oh, yeah, a Studio torn between two shows. Not good. I wish they had the funding and staff to do that.

Do you think a year in Equestria = a year on Earth?

Honestly, the only episodes that focused on the CMC that I can think of that didn't develop the mane cast in some way are Hearts and Hooves Day, Show Stoppers, and Family Appreciation Day. Show Stoppers was the real establishing moment for the CMC's characters as we know them, so it wasn't wasted, Family Appreciation Day developed Granny Smith a lot in addition to Apple Bloom, and Hearts and Hooves day really wouldn't have worked at all with the mane cast involved, and even then it gave Twilight the relevant character point of being more interested in books on the day than the romantic implications of it.

No. The princesses probably make it a nice round number like 360 days.

Also H&H Day developed Cherilee.

The problem is that the CMC aren't getting developed. None of them seem to have any real preferences that differentiate them from the others. Whenever one of them suggestions something it always leads to "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS WHATEVER YAY!!!!" I'd kill for at least one of those suggestions to lead to an argument about how the suggested activity is stupid.

edited 25th Aug '12 8:11:30 PM by JapaneseTeeth

So, 1000 years was only 986 years. That's not so bad!

edited 25th Aug '12 8:12:14 PM by condottiera

Since the seasons are changed by ponies, I wonder if the princesses ever just decide to have a longer year because they want a bit more winter. Or if the length of seasons is rigidly enforced, and they're always the exact same length.

was what a shout out? Croconaw is a pokemon...

Come on guys it was a whole 54 seconds that time.

I got no comment on the aging question.

@JT I know, I was refuting the "More CMC = Less mane cast development" argument.

@Bliss: No, the thing about mules.

edited 25th Aug '12 8:13:18 PM by condottiera

Ponyville handled the season changing on its own, so presumably it could be different seasons in different parts of the country if the ponies felt like it.

My headcanon is that the scientists use atomic clocks since the day cycle depends on the Princesses feelings.

@Perpetual: Ah, Okay.

As for the seasons, I get the idea that they try to keep them consistent so that you don't have some areas in winter while others are in summer and whatnot, but general incompetence in each area means it varies by a few days.

edited 25th Aug '12 8:14:48 PM by JapaneseTeeth

I really doubt that'll happen unless we get a southern hemisphere expy though.

So what about the flat planet hypothesis to explain how it's never day and night at the same time?

Maybe the episode order corresponds exactly with the in-show chronology. Therefore, since there was no snow on the ground in the episode preceding "Winter Wrap Up", winter in Equestria only lasts one week.

It's Always Spring unless the plot requires it to be otherwise.

edited 25th Aug '12 8:15:56 PM by condottiera

Actually, since the length of years could be variable...

Celestia: "Hmm, my sister is stuck on the moon for 1000 years? Alright everypony, from now on a year is 8 days long. Lets roll through these seasons!"

And so Luna was stuck on the moon for like five years.

@Meta: The song specifically mentions three months of winter.

edited 25th Aug '12 8:17:51 PM by Crowfall

Except the song explicitly started that it lasted several months. Word Of God says it's 3 months IIRC.